Tuesday, July 19, 2011

This is from my fellow Ham friend in Texas WX5VHFI am spreading the word~

Loss of two meter simplex frequencies IMMINENT in Texas!

Texas two meter simplex users stand to lose a large portion of available frequencies if proposed changes to the two meter band plan are passed by the Texas VHF-FM Society.

In an effort to make room for D-Star repeater pairs, the Society has proposed a revised band plan that will take spectrum from two meter simplex users statewide.Below is the band plan being proposed by the Texas VHF-FM Society:146.450 - 146.490 MHz, High in/low out, 1 MHz offset, 12.5 kHz channel spacing or less, anydigital voice/data air interface technology suitable for the Amateur Radio Service that is compatible with the channel spacing. No analog transmission permitted.145.520 Analog145.540 Analog145.560 Analog145.580 Analog145.600 Analog145.620 Analog145.640 Analog145.660 Analog145.680 Analog145.700 Analog145.720 Analog145.740 Analog145.760 Analog145.780 Analog146.420 Analog146.440 Analog146.450 Digital }146.460 Digital }146.470 Digital }--------------- Simplex allocations that will be lost due to proposed restructuring.146.480 Digital }146.490 Digital }146.560 Analog146.580 Analog147.400 Analog147.420 Analog147.440 Analog147.450 Digital }147.460 Digital }147.470 Digital }-------------- Simplex allocations that will be lost due to proposed restructuring.147.480 Digital }147.490 Digital }147.560 Analog147.580 Analog

This proposal was placed on the table at the March 1, 2008 General Meeting of the Texas VHF-FM Society and has yet to be voted on, possibly due to opposition from avid simplex users.

Contrary to public opinion, two meter simplex frequencies are regularly, and in some cases heavily used throughout the state.

A well-established group of simplex operators in north and east Texas have used the frequency of 147.420 on a daily basis since the mid 1970’s. While that frequency is not in immediate danger of being reallocated, other well used frequencies are!

A group of simplex operators around the Cedar Creek Lake area in eastern Texas that regularly use the frequency of 146.475 stands to lose that piece of spectrum.

146.500 is another frequency currently being used on a regular basis by hams from Dallas all the way down into the Waco area that is on the chopping block.

I’m sure there are many more frequencies all across the state that are in use that we do not know about! If anyone knows of other simplex frequencies in use in the state of Texas please feel free to e-mail me at WX5VHF@gmail.com

In an effort to display the utilization of these simplex frequencies I am asking for all Texas two meter simplex operators to attend and cast a vote at the Texas VHF-FM Society’s Summer Meeting that will take place at Austin Summerfest 2011. The meeting will be held Saturday, August 6th at 1:00PM in the Pecan Room of the Austin Marriott Airport South at 4415 South Interstate 35 in Austin.In order to vote at this meeting you MUST be a member of the Society! To become a member you must download the form from the link below and send it back with $15.00. (I guess it’s sort of like a poll tax?)

I believe I speak for most all avid simplex operators when I say, I am in no way anti D-Star. New technology and operating modes are the life blood of amateur radio. What I am against is reallocation of simplex spectrum as repeater pairs! D-star or analog, a repeater is a repeater and should be placed on frequencies that are already allocated for that purpose. If all of the repeater pairs are in use then get on the waiting list; just as analog repeater owners do. What is the rush?

Hams always say “Use it, or lose it” when it comes to radio spectrum. Well, this time it’s being used and we still may lose it!

Wow, it is only 8am and it is already 75º outside. The weather folks are saying this is gonna be one hot week. I think I will stay inside and play radio for the next few days. That and I have a lot of stamps to sort through. I just received a Stamp collection from an estate sale. Looks to have many stamps I do not have.So, here is what my weather is looking like for the next few days.

Heat advisory in effect from 10 am this morning to 8 pm edt this evening. Early this morning. Partly cloudy. Light and variable winds.

Today. Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 80s near lake Michigan and in the lower 90s inland. North winds around 5 mph becoming northwest late in the day. Heat index readings 94 to 99.

Tonight. Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 70s. North winds 5 to 10 mph until midnight becoming light. Then becoming west around 5 mph toward daybreak.

Wednesday. Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 80s near lake Michigan and in the mid 90s inland. Southwest winds 5 to 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph. Heat index readings 100 to 105.

My Stamp Collecting Blog

Counter Added January 1, 2011

HOW TO READ PROPAGATION NUMBERS

The A index [ LOW is GOOD ]

1 to 6 is BEST

7 to 9 is OK

11 or more is BAD

Represents the overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Ap" if averaged from the Kp-Index) (an average of the eight 3-hour K-Indices) ('A' referring to amplitude) over a given 24 hour period, ranging (linearly) typically from 1-100 but theoretically up to 400.

The measure of total radio emissions from the sun at 10.7cm (2800 MHz), on a scale of 60 (no sunspots) to 300, generally corresponding to the sunspot level, but being too low in energy to cause ionization, not related to the ionization level of the Ionosphere.

The overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Kp" if averaged over the planet) over the past 3 hours, measured by 13 magnetometers between 46 & 63 degrees of latitude, and ranging quasi-logarithmically from 0-9. Designed to detect solar particle radiation by its magnetic effect. A higher K-index generally means worse HF conditions.

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